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A. LAVIGNE. LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS. /,APPLICATION FILED AUG.2I.1916.

1,310,398. I Patented July 15, 1919.

ALBERT IAVIGNE, OF BRUNSWICK, MAINE, ASSIGNOB. TO THE STAFFORD COMPANY,OF

READVILLE, BOSTQN, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY.

. &

LET-OFF MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 21, 1916. -Serial No. 115,943.

. To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALBERT LAVIGNE, a citizen of the United States,residin at Brunswick, in the county. of Cumberland, State of Maine, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Let-Off Mechanisms forLooms, of which the following is a specification, reference being hadtherein to the accompanying drawing The invention is an improvement inletofi' mechanisms of what is termed the compensating class. Suchmechanisms have a follower or presser which is arranged to bear againstthe periphery of the wound supply of warp-threads upon the warpbeam of aloom, etc. This part forms an element of provisions for regulating therate of delivery of the warp-threads from said warpbeam so as tocompensate for the progressive decrease in diameter of the said supplyas unwinding proceeds. Sometimes in practice in the weaving of certainclasses of goods it is preferred to dispense with the compensatingaction and to operate with lettingofi' action of ordinary character.Moreover, under some conditions the said follower is liable to interferewith certain of the manipulations or operations which are necessary tobe performed by the weaver or loomfixer; for one thing, with theintroduction of a filled warp-beam into place in the loom. It also isliable' to swing, at the time of the removal of a warp-beam from theloom, so as to strike upon some adjacent part of the loom, as forinstance the back glrth, and become broken in consequence.

The general object of the invention is to provide means for enabling thecompensatlng action to be superseded by ordinary letting-off action inthe working of a loom, whenever required; in addition adapted to enablesuch interference to be avoided, and for preventing the follower orpresser from falling.

The invention consists, essentially in a follower-lock for locking thefollower of a compensating let-off mechanism in stationary positionwhenever it isdesired to supersede the compensating actlon or to effecta removal or replacement of a warp beam. The invention admits of beingembodied and applied in various ways The drawings show in side elevationan embodiment of the invention applied in connection with positiveletoif devices of a well-known type,

the latter having combined therewith compensating devices of a characterat present 1n use.

Figure 1 of the drawings is a side elevatlon of part of a loom, with thesaid embodiment applied thereto.

Fig. 2 shows a second embodiment.

In the drawings, which show only one of the forms of compensatinglet-off mechanisms to which the invention is applicable, the follower orpresser 1 is shown retracted and locked in a stationary position out ofcontact with the periphery of the wound mass 2 of warp-threads upon thewarpbeam 3. Consequently the compensating action has been superseded andin this condition the let-off mechanism will act as an ordinary let-offmechanism under the con trol of the tension of the warp, acting throughthe whip-roll 14 and thewarp-beam actuating devices and gearingcontrolled thereby. The warp-beam is in working position, with itsjournals 4 occupying bearings 5 in connection with the loomframe, andwith its gear 6 in mesh with the beam-operating gearing 7 of the let-offmechanism. As usual the follower or presser is mounted with capacity toswing toward and from the axis of the yarn-beam, and is adapted to becontrolled as to its position by the diameter of the wound mass ofwarp-threads upon the warpbeam. As usual, also, in operation itapproaches the said axis in proportion as the said diameter rows less byreason of the unwinding of t e warp-threads. As herein shown, it isfixed upon a rockshaft 8 supported in convenient hearings in connectionwith the loom. The rockshaft 8 has a short, arm 9 to which is joined oneend of a link or connecting-rod 10, the otherend of which is joined toan arm 11 in connection with the abutment 12 for the spring 13 by whichthe whip-roll 14 is controlled. The arm 11 and spring-abutment 12 aresupported at 15 with capacity to rock or swing. The spring '13 surroundsa rod 16 having one end thereof joined to the whip-roll arm 14", and isconfined under more or less compression between the said abutment andthe said arm. The said spring operates, as heretofore, to back up thewhip-roll and also to keep the presser or follower close against theperiphery of the mass of warp-threads wound upon the warp-beam. The rod16 passes through a hole in the spring-abutment 12 and has its other endjoined to the controlling-lever 17 the loom-frame. and dog ordetentpreferably are so related detent b adapted to engage with saidprojection or tooth. The said projection or tooth projects from the hubof the springabutment, and the holding dog or detent is mountedpivotally at b invconnection with The projection or tooth thatordinarily the do not engage with each other during t e ordinary worklngof the parts, and consequently do not interfere with the movement of thespring-abutment and presser or follower which is necessary to take placein order that the presser or follower may remain in contact with thesurface of the wound mass of warp-threads upon the warp beam as suchmass becomes smaller in diameter. Or, the dog or detent may be swungback into aninoperative position, and remain in such position, out ofthe way, until it is desired to act. It is intended that, as shown, thedog or detent shall i be caused to engage with the projection or toothwhen the presser orfollower'has been swung by the weaver or loom-fixeraway from the position of the warp-beam, and,

. through thusengaging', lockthe presser or follower in aretractgdinoperative position, as in Fig. 1, inwhich it W111 not-be inthe .way of a filled warp-beam which is being placed in position in theloom. Also, so that it will not'fall when the warp-beam previou.sly inthe loom is removed, so as to landupon the backgirth 19 with resultingdog or .detent from the projection or'tooth, the presser or followerwill be freed and the spring 13 will 'act through the spring-- abutmentand connections to the presser or follower to move the latter intoworking engagement with the surface of the wound supply ofwarp-threads-upon the inserted warp-beam.

In the case of the embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the dog or detent b isconnected piv-' ota'lly at b wlth the arm 11, and a stop-pin a is fixedupon the loom-frame. The parts are so related that when the follower orpresser is swung back into its. position in Fig. 1, the shoulder orengaging portion of the dog or detentb will catch against the stop-pina"so as to hold the follower or presser in its retracted position.Ordinarily, however, the dog or detent. will rest upon andplay over thesaidstop-pin without engaging therewith, and without interfering withthe desired action of the .follow'er'or' changing diameter of theyarn-mass and itself controllingthe rate of unwinding, of afollower-lock for locking lower in a stationary position;

'2. In a let-off mechanism for looms, the combination with a presser orfollower making contact with the surface of the wound the said folsupplyof war -threads upon the ,wa

beam, asprin -a utment connected-with said presser or 0 lower, and thewhip-roll actuating spring acting throu hsaid abutment to press thepresser or fol ower toward the axis of the warp-beam, of a dogor detentadapted to cooperate with said spring-abuts ment to detain the presseror follower in a stationary position. v V v In testlmony whereof Iaflix-my signature in presence of two witnesses. danger of1breakage.Upon 'dlsengag ng the g *AL nRT' AviGNE." Witnesses': x I

- RUSSEIL W. EATON,

- Ron'nur K. EATON,

